AGE-DOWN MEME

[devoutish]

Inspired by this and this! Post top levels of your characters as they were when they were younger - it's up to you whether that means "when they were a kid", "six months ago", or something in between. Then tag around, either throwing kids together or throwing normally-aged current CR at people in order to "????" about how their friend/enemy/casual acquaintance is suddenly bitty.

Comments

[devoutish]

Here.

[He pulls the wrapped sandwich out of his bag.]

Do you want me to take a bite first, so you know it isn't poisoned?

[With anyone else, it would be a joke, but he thinks it might actually be a valid concern of Royce's.]

[bittytsun]

[ Royce nods, biting his bottom lip. He didn't even think of that. That's a good thing to remember. ]

[devoutish]

Right. Tell me where to bite from, then.

[He thinks that's the most trustworthy way to go about it - otherwise, he could theoretically have just left a little section unpoisoned, and then chosen that part for himself.]

[bittytsun]

Right in the center. [ Royce says, watching closely. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie uses his scalpel to cut the sandwich in half, then takes a bit out of the center. He chews, swallows, and raises his eyebrows at Royce.]

All right?

[bittytsun]

... Yeah.

[ Okay. He scoots closer, still twitchy. He's still got the apple gripped tightly in his hands as he makes his way over in those same short, sudden bursts of motion, moving across the room from piece of furniture to piece of furniture rather than a straight shot.

When he gets close enough to Alfie, his breathing has picked up, but he doesn't run. Up close, it's clear he's shivering.

But he won't get within touching range. He sees that scalpel. ]

[devoutish]

[Seeing the problem, Alfie stretches forward to set the sandwich on the coffee table, then leans back again. He could probably still reach Royce if he tried, but he'd have to lunge. Hopefully that's far enough away to make the kid feel safe enough.]

[bittytsun]

[ It's enough. Royce darts forward, grabs the sandwich, and then darts back, hiding by the couch again. This time he drops down to sit, pressing his back against the couch and pulling his knees to his chest, and hurriedly starts wolfing it down.

Not because he's starving, necessarily, just because this is the best way to make sure nobody else is going to eat it. ]

[devoutish]

[And Alfie pulls out a bag of sour cream and onion chips, munching away at those - much more slowly than Royce.]

[bittytsun]

[ Royce finishes his sandwich in record time, and decides to keep the apple for later. He shoves it in his pocket, and then curls up, arms wrapped around his knees to try and warm up.

He's quiet for a while, and then he speaks up again, muffled from behind his knees. ] You're too nice.

[devoutish]

Nope. You've got very low standards.

[bittytsun]

You just gave me food for nothing. That's nice. [ Royce says insistently. And he doesn't say it like it's a good thing, either. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah, I suppose I did. All right, I'm nice. What of it?

[He's still talking totally casually, not even looking at Royce. That probably makes the kid feel more comfortable.]

[bittytsun]

You can't be nice. Nice people end up dead.

[devoutish]

I can also be very, very mean, so that makes up for it.

[bittytsun]

[ That seems satisfactory for Royce. He nods, and almost like he's confirming what Alfie's saying: ] You kill people.

[devoutish]

Sometimes. Yeah. Not gonna kill you, though.

[bittytsun]

I wouldn't let you. [ And there's his usual scowl. ] Kill you first. If you tried.

[devoutish]

Then I will be especially sure not to risk it.

[bittytsun]

[ Good. Maybe he preens a little. He's tough. He already has, okay, he could do it again. ] What are you called?

[devoutish]

Alfie Solomons. What about you?

[bittytsun]

Royce. [ Sniff. ]

[devoutish]

[H...uh. He's always been pretty sure that Duster is an alias, but he wonders if this one is too.]

Royce. All right.

Do you know where you are right now, Royce?

[bittytsun]

No. I think you do, though.

[devoutish]

Not as much as I would like.

You've been brought here - not by me. I got taken by the same ones that took you.